Rewards offered for tips on slaying of Clinton Township party store owner

Rewards offered for tips on slaying of Clinton Township party store owner

By
Mitch Hotts, The Macomb Daily

Sunday, March 30, 2014

A team of volunteer workers re-opened the Moon Lite Party Store in Clinton Township on Sunday, 32 hours after the owner was shot and killed in a robbery.

The store had been closed since owner Basim “Basil” Sulaka was gunned down late Friday. After the volunteers entered the building and cleaned up Sunday morning, a steady stream of customers and well-wishers walked through the door to express their condolences.

“This is something we feel Basil would have wanted, to be open for his customers in the community,” said Randy Rae of Clinton Township, as he supervised operations. “It’s our way of honoring his memory.”

Rae, along with Nickolas Bushon of St. Clair Shores and Joseph Dungan II of Clinton Township, had the store open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and will continue to do so until Sulaka’s family can decide what steps to take after the funeral.

Sulaka, 51, of Sterling Heights, took over the store in 1996. He worked many long hours there along with is wife, Linda. The couple’s two daughters also help out.

“I felt it was my duty to volunteer to help out until Linda and the family can decide where to go from here,” Rae said.

Clinton Township police worked throughout the weekend to track down the three gunmen who attacked Sulaka.

According to police, Sulaka was working in the office when the trio burst in about 11 p.m. Two immediately hopped over the counter, smashing a glass ice cream case in the process. At least one of them shot Sulaka as he came out of the office to see what the commotion was, and shot him again as he was on the ground.

The trio -- wearing dark clothing, gloves and ski masks -- grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash from two registers, along with some rolled coins and then fled to a waiting car.

In their haste to escape, they apparently dropped some of the cash.

An estimated 300 people gathered Saturday night to attend a candlelight vigil for Sulaka, a native of Iraq and cancer survivor who was described as a kind and generous man who kept a jar of dog treats behind the counter to hand out to his dog-owning customers.

Clinton Township police on Sunday said they are still actively seeking tips and denied reports indicating the suspects are being held in custody.

There are three rewards totalling $17,000 available for information leading to an arrest.

Crime Stoppers of Michigan is offering $2,500, while the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce has added $10,000 and the Detroit Pub of Clinton Township kicked in $4,500. The pub is located near the party store.

“Basil was a remarkable guy who I’ve known for many years,” said Detroit Pub owner Paul Mouk. “He was a true gentleman. I will miss him every day.”

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Clinton Township police at 586-493-7802.